1. Hug your children, hold them all day, kiss them 100 times a day, talk to them like they are your best friends because they are.
2. Before you yell, get mad or show anger, decide if its worth it- did they spill paint on the floor or did they intentionally hit the dog. Did they put a snack on the new couch or did they go out of their way to hit someone else? I don't care about carpets, couches, how many times I have to mop the floor. I do care about them learning to treat animals and subsequently, humans, with respect and love.
3. You chose to have them. They come before you, your spouse, your grown family members. If there is only enough money for one pair of sneakers, you can get another month out of yours. If the choice is goldfish crackers or budweiser, the crackers must always come first.
4. If you ever resent your children, wonder what your life would be without them, or miss partying, think about the mothers in war torn countries who carry their dead children for miles so at least they will know where their babies are buried. Those women would cherish another day of cleaning up spilled cereal.
